This invention concerns devices for rapidly releasing fluid under pressure from a reservoir. So called "air bag" safety cushion devices used in auto vehicles rely on very rapid inflation of an air bag at the moment a serious collision occurs. Testing and development of these systems require numerous test inflations to be carried out, but since pyrotechnic devices are typically employed in actual air bag inflations, such tests are costly and require licensed facilities.
It is difficult or impossible to simulate the gas flow in such systems with reservoirs opened with conventional valving due to the very high rates of flow occurring almost instantaneously when an air bag system is activated.
There are other applications where a very rapid opening of a fluid passage would be desirable, preferably with a simple, reliable device.
There has heretofore been employed various bursting pieces associated with pressure release discs, but these have been relatively bulky members partially blocking flow in the discharge passage.